MuttLover

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Overall, things are going well for me.  I've been able to eat anything with no problems.  I usually have 1-2 oz. of meat and some veggies Pureed).  I've moved to soft foods, and had dinner at a friend's house last nite -- coq au vin.  I had no problem with it, had about three ounces of chicken breast with some mushrooms, shallots and wine sauce.  I cut it up into little bits and ate very slowly.  They don't know I've had surgery yet ( no big secret, but we came over to watch the game and have dinner, and I thought I'd tell them, but an opportunity didn't come up) -- but since I've dieted before, I probably wasn't too different.

I ate very , very slowly, which wasn't a problem since everyone else at so slowly.

Since I was traveling beginning on Day 6 post-op, I had a lot of different foods (than I would normally cook) -- butternut squash soup, butternut squash chili, broccoli soup, bean soups and chilis - an yesterday, a meatball for lunch.  So far, everything has been tolerated fine.  The big problem with eating in restaurants is making sure you track because there are lots of hidden carbs and calories -- my one meatball was 160 calories -- and not nearly the 30 grams of protein that I'd get in a protein shake!

So, living and learning!

I have been very lucky surgically -- practically no pain (but really, I think that is primarily the surgical technique!), I'm able to get in my fluids and proteins, etc. So at today's follow-up my surgeon said that as long as I meet the following conditions, I can go see the kid (a 10 hour trip):

1. Stop every hour or so and walk around.

2. Stay hydrated (blood clots are more likely if you are dehydrated)

3. Make a list of every hospital along the route, and if I have the least bit of pain in my calf, shortness of breath or rapid heartbeat, get there ASAP!

I am headed to the lab first thing for a quick UTI check (no symptoms, just a precaution!) -- and if all is still good in the morning, I get to see the kid for Thanksgiving!

Keep us in your prayers!  I probably won't be able to check back in until next week -- so have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone! 

Well, so far, so good -- except for the migraine that just hit.  Lovely.  Luckily the meds I take are very small, so I've popped one of those and that seems to be working for now!  I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I got one!

Oh well, hopefully, it will be gone in a few hours. I usually take a handful of Motrin as a chaser, but no NSAIDs for me!  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Other than the migraine -- all is well.  I am able to get in all 64 oz. of liquids and I've put a little protein powder in my broth.

Tomorrow I start full liquids, so I'll be getting my protein in shakes and puddings -- so overall, I'm doing well.

From a pain perspective, I haven't taken any pain meds since immediately post-op (because of the nausea).  The only pain I have is when I try to pick up something out of the floor -- or try to lay down in bed.  I am sleeping sitting up, and that works just fine.

I had very little gas  and gas pain as well.  I have burped quite a bit -- but nada from the other end.  I had two BMs while still in the hospital, so all my parts are working fine!  I had read that many people have sharp gas pains in the shoulder area, but none for me. I have had a little bit of what I expect is gas in my groin area -- weird.  But not much.

Well, gotta go -- the light from the monitor and loud sound of my fingers hitting the computer keys is getting to me -- guess I'd better take dose 2 of the migraine meds!

LOL -- don't worry, I'm not going to give a daily update after this!  Since there are a bunch of us clustered together, I'm oversharing!

Last night I downed my last bit of broth a little too quickly and had a rolling lava filled gut -- but nothing came back up!  So I started my PPI and took a Pepcid, and that helped considerably.

I slept in the bed, with a bunch of pillows propping me up, so was basically in a sitting positon, and that worked out fine.  I also took the anti-nausea meds, since I was having some action down there, plus it makes me sleepy!

Got up once and was still a little funny in the tummy, so I took another anti-nausea pill and went back to sleep.

Was fine this morning.  We went to REI for a little Christmas shopping -- I was worn out in about 15 minutes, but it was more interesting than walking around the house!

I am on track for all 64 oz of liquids today, but have only had a little protein in my chicken broth.  I'll start full liquids on Monday, and will begin actively going after my protein then.  Since I've been so queasy, I didn't want to risk anything from the Isopure -- LOL -- I even got a syringe and squirted it down my throat so I wouldn't taste it!  

So overall, I'm doing pretty well.  Two of my incision spots are in the "fold" over my waistline, which is where my undies and pants rub, so I have to be careful to make sure I wear the biggest ones I have!

I haven't had hardly any gas pain, and most burp. So overall, things are going pretty well!

Can't wait to hear from the rest of the Nov. Sleevers, and I hope this helps some of you all who are scheduled for later!

This is from Nov. 16, 2 days after I was sleeved.  I meant to post it here then, so I'm catching up!

Well, I was sleeved on Wed at around 3:30.  Was supposed to be 2, but the later you are in the day, the the higher the chance the OR will get backed up.  So here are all the details, the best I can recall:

1. Sine I was dehydrated, and a hard stick, getting the IV in wasn't pretty! Fourth time was a char.  First two tries were unsuccessful, third try infiltrated, fourth worked.  The IV was just about the worst part!

2. Had a long talk with the anesthesiologist about nausea, since I am prone to it.  She gave me a patch as well as lot of antinausea drugs in my IV -- and you guessed it!  I still woke up with nausea.

3. Since pain meds cause nausea for me, I stopped them within a few hours of getting back to my room. The nurses continued to pump me full of anti-nausea meds.  By late yesterday afternoon, the nausea had tapered off, and by this AM -- no nausea. I slept sitting up to help the nausea.

4. Pain -- well, I do have a little, but it's more like soreness.  Certain movement hurt, so I try to avoid those.  But pain is better than nausea for me! I had a little PCA, but only used it a couple of times.

5.  Swallow test.  Yuck.  Since I was nauseous anywhy, I chugged the stuff (expecting I'd just throw it up!) -- but no, it stayed down.  The test showed the contrast moving through my system, but it seemed to backed up in my esphogus, so no liquids until I had an X-ray later in the day.  X-ray was OK, so I got liquids that evening.

6. Luckily, I brought some peppermint tea, and they had water.  I ordered chicken broth, jello and Isopure.  Yuck on all counts.  Since I was being hydrated through the IV, i only had the jello, tea and water.

7. I did laps around the hall everytime I had to go to the bathroom.  So my routine was to got to the bathroom, do laps til I got tired (maybe 3-4), come back and use the spirometer, and then doze back off.

8. Came home today around 11:30 am.  NO DRAIN!  Yeah!  I didn't even have a drain in the hospital.  I was not expecting that at all.  My understanding was the most of my doc's patients go home with a drain.  

Overall -- the pain isn't too bad -- it's more like the soreness you get after a huge workout.  Moving certain ways hurts, but if I'm still, like sitting, I have zero pain.

Now, it's time to shovel in the liquids.  Off I go!  So far, both warm and cold work just fine for me.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Well, I've drank every clear liquid known to mankind today, including Isopure -- not my fave!  I mixed grape Isopure in with my grape KookAid and it helped a little -- lots of splends sweetened it up so I couldn't taste the protein so much!  I think post-op, I am not going to fret if I can't stand it, and just focus on getting in my liquids.

My surgery time is still 2 pm, so I'll be nice and dehydrated by then -- great!   I'm a hard stick for needles, but I'm guessing these guys are sticking dehydrated people all day.

I'm all ready except Biotene -- couldn't find that anywhere locally, and didn't allow enough time to get it from Amazon.  Other than that, everything is ready.

Here's to a new future!

Got my insurance approval today -- just about 5 business days.  So I'm getting myself ready for next week!

Desperate times call for desperate measures!  At least that's how I feel about having a chunk of my stomach chopped out for good.  But at 55, after  a lifetime of being overweight, my joints are in revolt.  I don't have time to "try again", and I don't have any confidence that I would be successful.  So, it has come to this.  

My sister had RNY last year, and has been doing great.  But I've been thinking about RNY for 30 years (LOL, really!), so I'm sure it's  not for me!  So, I am hoping that VSG is the answer.

I have my pre-op testing appointment on Wednesday, unless the doctor's office is washed away by Hurricane Sandy!  Hoping for the best!